1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to coin controlled merchandise dispensing apparatus and consists particularly in a coin operated machine for vending flat articles such as newspapers, magazines and the like.
2. The Prior Art
The closest approach in the prior art to the present invention is G. D. Morse et al U.S. Pat. No. 388,369, in which newspapers are supported in a cabinet on a forwardly and downwardly sloping surface and prevented from sliding thereoff by a vertically movable bar having a beveled upper end to facilitate a newspaper sliding over it when it is moved downwardly the thickness of a newspaper. The bar is movable downwardly by completely mechanical means initiated by the insertion of the proper coin into a chute through which it drops into a pan causing the latter to rotate a shaft which causes a pawl to disengage from a ratchet on a second shaft mounting a pinion engaging a rack on the bar, thus permitting the second shaft to rotate freely and allow the bar to be pulled downwardly by a pair of coil springs. As the top newspaper is freed by lowering movement of the bar it slides across the beveled top of the bar toward the delivery slot, the newspaper strikes a pair of rods which rotate a third shaft causing the pawl to engage the ratchet, thereby stopping rotation of the second, pinion mounting, shaft and halting downward movement of the bar as soon as the top paper on the stack has been released.